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3 Ways to Keep a Digital Journal

This is part three of a three-part series exploring successful journal keeping. Read parts one and two.

In last week’s article, we explored a number of different motivations for keeping a journal. This week, we’ll look at a few of the different websites and mobile apps that can help improve your journaling techniques. Remember, however, that there’s no wrong way to record your life’s story. Whether you use digital mediums, analog mediums, or a combination of both, your record keeping is up to you, and you decide what works and what doesn’t.

JRNL is a website and free mobile app that makes keeping a personal record easy and convenient. The app’s well-designed interface allows users to write as much text as they’d like and includes the ability to upload photos to enrich individual entries.

“We take pictures of graduations, births, all these different things that happen in our lives,” said Steve Reed, co-founder of JRNL in his RootsTech 2017 presentation. “Photos are a wonderful thing to add to our journals.”

If you struggle to think of something to write, check out JRNL’s “All about Me” section, which offers a list of questions and writing prompts to help get you started.

One of JRNL’s best features is the ability to build your book and have it printed. Users can print up to 900 pages of text and full color photos in an affordable, archival-quality hardcover book.

Day One is another popular journaling app that offers an easy-to-use interface across iPhone, iPad, and other iOS platforms. In 2012, the Mac App Store named Day One the App of the Year.

With its recent update, the Day One app now allows you to geolocate each entry, add multiple photos, and even see your day’s fitness activity. You can also switch over to a beautiful photo view when you want to look at your life’s journey in a glance.

Pass It Down is a new digital storytelling platform that makes telling your family story easy by allowing users to build stories using text, video, audio, and photos.

After creating an account, users can record a media-rich story. You can also invite other family members to build stories in a collaborative way. After writing your story, publish it so friends and family members can enjoy. With Pass It Down you can also share your stories to social media.

What digital tools do you use in your journaling efforts? Tweet us@RootsTechConfand let us know!